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Perpetuity and Divine Authority of the Sabbath;" the second-" Of the Sabbath as a rest to be occupied in Personal, Domestic, and Social Religion." The first shows that the observance of the Sabbath is enjoined by the authority of God; the second points out the manner in which the season of sacred rest ought to be employed. Taken together, they may be regarded as forming a compendious and yet complete system, in reference to the Sabbatical institution. This institution is proved to be not only of Divine origin, but of perpetual obligation; its duties are specified; the advantages to be derived to individuals and communities from the performance of these duties are clearly shown, and the ruinous consequences of their neglect are justly and strikingly exhibited. After a careful perusal of this pamphlet, we can recollect but one idea of any interest, in regard to the whole subject, which the writers have not touched on-It is an idea derived from Selden, that the Jewish Sabbath was a departure, as to the day, from the original institution; and that the Christian Sabbath is in reality a return to that institution, being observed on the very day which was at first appointed by God. This, however, is not a point of any practical importance. We can scarcely express our opinion of the able and pious manner in which the writers of this pamphlet have handled their subject, without appearing to indulge in extravagant encomium. We do earnestly hope that it will be reprinted in as cheap a form as possible, and distributed into every part of the United States. A copy of it ought to be sent to every publick functionary, and to be laid on the table of every member of Congress, and every member of every state legislature in the American Union. It appeals equally to the feelings of the Christian and to the prin: ciples of the republican. And never did Christians and republicans need to be appealed to, in regard to the Sabbath, more than our countrymen need it, at the present time. Our general government, in the arrangements made for carrying the mail, has taken the lead in breaking through the laws, and breaking down the publick sentiment, by which the observance of the Sabbath in our land was once fortified and enforced. And now, in the city where we write, steam-boat excursions for the Sabbath are advertised, with as unblushing an effrontery as if they violated neither the laws of God or man, while they are in notorious contravention of both. Canals are opening, and rail roads are about to be established, in various sections of our country; and unless some vigorous measures are spee

dily adopted to prevent the evil, every kind of travelling will shortly be as common-perhaps more common-on the Sabbath, than on any other day of the week. The influence of this, if it should take place, in deteriorating publick morals, and of ultimately endangering our free institutions, will be fearful indeed. The God of nations will assuredly punish us; we do not say by miracle, or by drought, or famine, or pestilence, or foreign war. Some of these, his ordinary scourges, he may use. But he needs only to leave us to the natural effects of our iniquities-the loss of a sense of moral obligation, and the prevalence of vice and unhallowed passions-and these will urge us on to self-destruction. The vital principle of free states is the general prevalence of virtue; and when this no longer exists, the termination of their liberties will soon follow. Let piety and patriotism therefore awake, and unite their efforts to arrest the mischief, before it be past a remedy.

A SCRIPTURAL VIEW OF BAPTISM. By Daniel Baker, Pastor of the 2d Presbyterian Church, Washington City.

This little tract, consisting of no more than 23 pages in small octavo, we have found to contain all the radical ideas relative to the subject of baptism, which we have elsewhere seen dilated into volumes. The writer has likewise the talent of presenting his thoughts in a clear and striking manner; and the whole is given with a good spirit. He is a decided advocate for infant baptism, but he expresses no uncharitable sentiments, and uses no harsh or irritating language, toward those who differ from him in opinion. He acknowledges himself indebted "for many valuable thoughts and some happy expressions, to Doctor Rice's admirable Essay on Baptism, Pamphleteer, No. 1." Mr. Baker considers, I. THE NATURE OF BAPTISM. II. THE SUBJECTS. III. THE MODE. We think this tract is well calculated to aid those whose minds are labouring on the subject of baptism, and who have not time or inclination to such we particularly recommend it. At peruse more extended treatises; and to the same time it may be useful to those who, after reading much, would be glad to see a perspicuous summary of the arguments in favour of infant baptism. Our limits forbid us to make extracts, and indeed they could not easily be made so as to do justice to the author.

AN EXAMINATION OF THE QUESTION,"Whether a man may marry his deceased wife's sister?" with some remarks on Domesticus and others.

We certainly should not notice this

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pamphlet at all, if the writer had not condescended, in a postscript, to notice us. -Nor shall we now enter into any argu. ment with him, farther than to clear ourselves, if we can, from sundry grievous charges which he brings against us. His postscript is a review of our review of the pamphlets on the subject of incest, contained in our number for April last; and in four duodecimo pages, of which the postscript consists, we have counted eight allegations, in which we think there is no truth. We will enumerate and reply to them as briefly as we can. 1. He says the reviewer substantially charges all who do not concur in his opinion with infidelity. There is no truth in this. We showed that Domesticus, in arguing the law of incest without the aid of the Bible, was on ground common to him with infidels, and by such men as Hume might be beaten at his own weapons. But we have never so much as insinuated that Domesticus, or any other opponent in this controversy, was an infidel. We abhor the thought of such an imputation. On the ground of reason alone Christians may, and often do, argue many questions of morals: we only gave our opinion that the question in hand could not easily be settled on this ground. 2. He intimates that the reviewer would be disposed to charge a layman with presumption, in pretending to understand or discuss a question on which he had decided. There is nothing to warrant this intimation in our review. On the contrary, we referred to a layman—the immortal Selden-as having treated this subject with more ability than any other writer. We do indeed think that such writers as our opponent, whether clergymen or laymen, would better let the subject of this controversy alone. 3. He insinuates that our article seems to favour the idea that Henry the VIIIth. was influenced by conscientious scruples in endeavouring to rid himself of his first wife. We thought we had shown that our opinion was the exact opposite of this: we think so still; and can only refer to the article in our April number, to satisfy any candid mind that this insinuation is utterly groundless. 4. He often calls the reviewer a professor-who, alas! is no professor at all; but only an humble editor of a monthly miscellany, a part of whose drudgery it is, to review such pamphlets as that now before him. 5. He charges the reviewer with coming forth with something like a pretension to an infallible right to settle all disputes. This is not a point for argument. We deny the charge. We pretend to no right which is not common to us with all our fellow-citizens-the right of endeavouring to support our opinions by facts, argument and reason. 6. He

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says that the reviewer has intimated that religious persecution is lawful in some cases. We really must call this a gross slander. We have intimated no such thing. We abhor persecution in all its shapes and forms. Our accuser indeed would fain make us a persecutor of poor M'CrimBut all we have said in regard to him, was said in support of an act of discipline already inflicted, and of an article of the constitution of the Presbyterian church, actually existing-and is this persecution! We believe our accuser would be right glad to have this whole cause in his own hands. 7. He charges the reviewer with an extreme want of charity. In what has this appeared? In M'Crimmon's case, it is said, and in the appeal to the Baptist church, "and in other parts of his essay." Of M'Crimmon's case we have already spoken; in our appeal to the Baptist Church we declared, that "for our Baptist brethren we cherish a sincere affection." Is this uncharitable! As "other parts of the essay" are not specified, we can say nothing of them—We believe that the charge of uncharitableness is not unfrequently made by those whose own lack of charity is the greatest of all. Whether this is, or is not, applicable to our accuser, let others judge. For ourselves, we have charity for men who have grievously erred in marrying their deceased wives' sisters, and for all those who have been our opponents in this controversy: yes, for our accuser himself, who we fain hope has not intentionally charged us falsely, but probably in consequence of being blinded by some strong bias of a personal kind. 8. He charges his reviewer with dictation, and an overweening desire to govern the General Assembly. As to dictation, our manner of writing must answer for itself. But indeed we are not so foolish as to expect, or even desire, to govern the General Assembly. Whoever knows that body half as well as we know it, will be satisfied that no individual ever did or can govern it-The attempt to do it, would at once destroy all the influence of the attempter. We rejoice that such is the fact. If we have ever had any influence there-and we certainly think we have had none to boast of-it was only because we were able to convince independent men, that we gave good reasons for the measures we advocated. We suppose that our accuser, in charging us with having done mischief (in a case which he does not specify) must refer to the "no creed" business; and we do not wonder that a man who would be glad to mutilate the Confession of Faith (which we rejoice to find is for the present preserved in its integrity, by an overwhelming vote of the presbyteries

on the article submitted to them) should feel sore, whenever the subject of creeds comes into his mind. We can only say, that so far as we have had any agency in preventing infractions of the Constitution of the Presbyterian church, or in withstanding those who would be glad to set it aside altogether, we rejoice and will rejoice-On the whole, we repeat that our accuser has manifested a feeling which strongly indicates a deep personal con

cern in the subject he discusses; and therefore, although we are not able even to conjecture who the individual is, yet, as we happen to have a portion of yankee blood in our veins, we may be permitted to guess, that he is some man who wants to marry the sister of his deceased wife; or else, that he is the advocate of some dear friend, who wishes to do that-in our humble judgment-unlawful thing.

Literary and Philosophical Intelligence, etc.

Arrival at Timbuctoo. We are happy to learn that letters have been received from Major Laing, dated subsequent to his arrival at Timbuctoo; but by some oversight, the particular date is not inserted. The state of this city, so much talked of, and so much sought after by Europeans, together with the rivers and the country adjoining, will soon be made known, and by a hand fully able for the work. We regret, however, by these letters, to learn, that, instead of proceed. ing down the river Niger, to the sea, as he intended, Major Laing intends return ing home by way of Tripoli. What has occasioned this change in his route, whether ill-health, or finding insurmountable obstacles to his progress eastward and southward, we have not heard, and cannot take upon ourselves to determine.

South Africa.-Mr. George Thompson, a merchant of much respectability, who has resided eight years at the Cape of Good Hope, has lately been induced, partly from motives of commercial enter. prise, and partly from the impulse of curiosity, to explore some of the unknown regions of Southern Africa. His researches, often attended with imminent peril, were always accomplished, under circumstances of astonishing privation and fatigue, and even romantick vicissitude; but the result, we understand, has been the acquisition of more perfect knowledge than has hitherto been possessed, relating to the external aspect of the country in that part of Africa, and to the savage tribes which inhabit it.Among other distant places which Mr. Thompson visited, his journey to the Bechuana country, which occurred at a most interesting crisis, enabled him to survey the character of the natives in new and singular points of view, under the excitement of extraordinary events. His narrative is, we understand, just on the eve of publication.

Steam Boats in India.-A Calcutta paper "steam vessels will become as nusays, merous on the rivers of India as on those of Europe and America. They continue to multiply. In addition to those now on the Hooghly, four are on the stocks. Some of these are to be put on the Brahmaputra. The existence of coal in Sylhet, and its recent discovery in Asam, are fortunate."

The India Gazette, and the Hurkaru,

have proposed that the Indus should be surveyed by steam gun-boats, for the purpose of promoting geographical knowledge, and of ascertaining the defensive property of the river in the event of a Russian invasion.

Mr. P. Hawkes, of Washington, has just issued an octavo volume, accompanied by a chart, which appears to us to be, for all persons, and particularly students and teachers, a valuable and very convenient manual for geographical purposes. The volume is entitled "The American Companion, or A Brief Sketch of Geography;" and points out, "the Climate, Latitude, and Longitude, Bearing per Compass, and Distance in Geographi cal Miles, of each Place, from the City of Washington," &c.

The chart, which is particularly distinct and beautiful, exhibits at one view, the names of about thirteen hundred of the principal ports and places in the world, with their bearings, &c., as stated in the volume. The places belonging respectively to the United States of America, and the foreign countries, are so presented as to be immediately ascertained.There is much of novelty, ingenuity, and acuteness in the whole arrangement, and great care would seem to have been taken in the logarithmic calculations. The chart is embellished by a fine engraving of the Capitol at the city of Washington.

Malte-Brun's Geography, is too well known among students to need at this time any recommendation as to its merits. To the edition of it, however, published here, by A. Finley, we invite attention, as promising to afford a very valuable work, at a comparatively cheap rate; and in point of mechanical execution, in a creditable style.

We have now lying before us the three first volumes-all that are yet published there will be four in all-comprising 500 pages in each, which are furnished at $2 per volume.

For the mass, and value of information, this is a very cheap book, and worthy, therefore, of patronage. That portion respecting America, is reserved for the last, and will be revised and added to, so as to give the result of the latest information respecting our continent, and especially the portion of it occupied by the United States.

The later discoveries in Africa have also been carefully embodied in this work.

Tooth Ache.-A remedy for this most painful affection, which has succeeded in ninety-five of a hundred cases, is alum reduced to an impalpable powder 2 drachms, nitrous spirit of ether 7 drachms, mixed and applied to the tooth.

At a recent meeting of the London Medical Society, Dr. Blake stated that the extraction of the tooth was no longer necessary, as he was enabled to cure the most desperate cases of tooth ache (unless the disease was connected with rheumatism) by the application of this remedy.

The American Sunday School Union was instituted in 1824. At the last anniversary, there were connected with it, in all the states and territories in the Union, 400 auxiliaries, 2,139 schools, 19,289 teachers, and 135,074 scholars. During the year previous to the last report, 8,003 teachers, and 52,379 scholars were added to the schools. A great deal of the success of Sunday Schools is to be attributed to the economy introduced in the publication of necessary books. The amount of these publications now exceeds 3,000,000 of books a year, in the preparation of which more than 60 persons are employed as printers, binders, engravers, &c.

A Society of Ladies is about to be formed in Boston, for the protection and encouragement of female domestics.

Society of Friends.—It is stated that of this society there are seven yearly meetings in the United States, and one halfyearly in Canada, which are all said to embrace upwards of one hundred and fifty thousand members.

In addition to the schools established by publick authorities and benevolent societies for the instruction of children of African descent, there are five private schools in Philadelphia, conducted by coloured men.

An Indian stone pipe, formed of granite, finely polished and having several hieroglyphics, has been found at Chatham, Connecticut.

Boston are 31,000 dollars, 10,000 dollars The whole expenses of the poor in of which is paid by the state, and 20,000 by the city.-In Baltimore, the total expenditure on this account is 18,000 dollars. In New York, for criminals and paupers, 80,000 dollars are expended annually. Within the bounds of the poor corporation of Philadelphia, including about four-fifths of the whole population of the city and county, the amount levied in 1822, 23, 24, 25, averaged 120,000 a year. It has recently been reduced to 80,000 dollars.

The cultivation of sugar is said to be increasing in Georgia. A resident in Early county made, last year, 1800 lbs. of good sugar, from an acre and a quarter of Cowpen pine land.

It is stated in a Paris paper, that a great number of animals in the garden of plants are sick, not of the plague, but of a species of leprosy, which was communicated by the camels presented to the King by the Dey of Algiers. Several of the keepers are sick of the same malady in the Hospital of St. Louis, and two have died.

LIST OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.

A Compendious Introduction to the Study of the Bible. By T. H. Horne, A. M. Being an Analysis of "An Introduction to the Critical Study and Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures."

History of Roman Literature from its Earliest Period to the Augustan Age. By John Dunlop.

Museum for May and June.

De Vere; or the Man of Independence.
Prairie. By the Author of the "Spy."
Captain Keppel's Travels.
Stewart's Philosophy, 3 vols.

Miller's Letters on Clerical Manners and Habits.

Dick's Christian Philosopher.

Quarterly Review, No. 60. (From the London Edition.)

Edinburgh Review, No. 90. (From the Edinburgh Edition.)

Memoirs of Jane Taylor.

Janeway's Letters on the Atonement.
A New Map of Europe.

Keligious Intelligence.

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

This body met agreeably to adjournment, on Thursday, the 17th of the last month, in the First Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia, and was opened with a sermon by the Rev. Doctor M'Auley, of New York, the moderator of the last year. In consequence of a unanimous vote, the Assembly, at an early period of their sessions, set apart one whole day as a season of special thanksgiving, humiliation, and prayer. It was a day long to be remembered-The exercises of the day seemed to spread a most benign influence over all the proceedings of the Assembly. Subjects of much importance, and some of which enlisted personal and local feelings, and called forth animated discussions, were, notwithstanding, disposed of without any angry or acrimonious controversy. The number of the members constituting the Assembly was about 130. The sessions of the Assembly continued just two weeks-The final adjournment, or dissolution of the body rather, took place on Wednesday evening, the 30th of May. In our present number we have only space to insert the Narrative on the State of Religion, and the notice relative to the establishment of the Western Theological Seminary. The pastoral letter, addressed by the Assembly to the churches under their care, and the last report of the directors of the Theological Seminary at Princeton, shall appear in our next number.

NARRATIVE OF THE STATE OF RELI

GION, within the bounds of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, in the United States of America; May, 1827.

The General Assembly would meet the expectations of their fellow Christians, by

presenting them with a record of the af flictions and the triumphs of the church within their bounds, during the past year. The whole cannot be told; but enough

can be told to awaken the tenderest sen

sibilities of the Christian's heart, and to excite mingled emotions of sorrow, gra titude and joy.

In the picture which has been presented to the Assembly from the different sections of the church, there is a mixture of light and shade-good and evil alternately obtain: although they have reason to thank God that the indications of the progressive triumphs of Divine truth and grace, are strong and palpable, calculated to call into action the yet dormant energies of the church, and fill her mouth with songs of praise.

We shall first speak of the evils which exist. From many places, we hear complaints of the extensive prevalence of immorality, under its different forms. Sabbath-breaking is particularly noticed as prevailing in almost every region of our country. We hear with pain of the contempt which is poured upon this holy day, by the driving of waggons and stages, the running of canal and steam boats, the business and pleasure: by hunting, fishopening of mails, the travelling of men of ing, horse-racing, visiting, distilling, driving of cattle to market, and other prac tices equally incompatible with the sanctity of the day, and the good order of socity. We record, however, with pleasure the fact, that among the members of the mercantile community in some of our large cities, a reformation has taken place, and they refrain from travelling in pursuit of their worldly business on this sacred day. It would rejoice the hearts of the Assembly, if their good example were universally followed by that extensive and influential class of our fellow citizens.

The report of abounding intemperance is still heard from many sections of the the south, we hear the loudest complaints of the ravages of this destructive vice.And, although in many places, its progress has been partially arrested by the influence of moral, religious, and physical causes, we have to lament that it still exerts a desolating power over vast numbers in our land. When, O when, shall man "the glory of creation," cease to merge his high character and destinies in this sink of brutish defilement!

church. From the north, the west, and

Profaneness still partially prevails to dishonour its subjects, and insult the Majesty of heaven: and gambling, that infatuating and destructive vice, is still main

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